Executive Support Specialist _Re-Advertisement

About DRC

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), founded in Denmark in 1956, is Denmark’s largest and the world’s leading non-profit, independent, rights-based refugee organisation. Our vision is to assist communities affected by displacement, protecting them

from harm, safeguarding their legal rights, and empowering them towards a better future.

DRC East Africa & Great Lakes (EAGL) operates in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda in order to prevent displacement, support communities on the move and help people achieve durable solutions. In addition to its programmatic response, DRC supports initiatives focusing on mixed migration, durable solutions and borderlands, as well as advocacy and policy initiatives related to the displacement agenda at national, regional and global levels.

Overall purpose of the role

Reporting directly to the Regional Advocacy and Communications Manager, the Executive Support Specialist is part of the Regional Advocacy and Communications Unit and will provide high-level support to the Executive Director, Senior Management Team and Senior Leadership Team.

Responsibilities

Administrative Support to Executive Director

• Proactively manage the Executive Director’s calendar, prioritizing and scheduling appointments with key partners (Donors, Local Partners, Board Directors, etc). meetings, and travel arrangements to optimize the Executive Director time, ensuring a strategic allocation of resources to high-impact activities.
• In collaboration with the Regional Advocacy and Communications Manager, prepare thorough briefing materials, agendas, talking points and minutes for executive meetings to ensure seamless facilitation, information flow and decision-making.
• In collaboration with the Regional Advocacy and Communications Manager, support Country Offices ahead of the Executive Director’s visits, ensuring the development of a detailed and relevant agenda with clear advocacy and engagement goals.
• Attend to and monitor urgent enquiries and issues, ensuring that they are brought to the Executive Director’s attention and, where relevant, referring matters on to appropriate staff for response.
• Maintain an effective and confidential filing system for the Executive Director including preparing replies to routine and basic correspondence on behalf of the Executive Director.
• Develop & maintain the Executive Director’s contact database for relevant donors, partners and other stakeholders.
• Screens documents for approval of the Executive Director, and certifies they are completed with compliance before presenting them for approval in ensuring that the process went through the right channels and financial verification are in place.
• Be an informed key contact for the Executive Director Office and handle internal and external enquiries in a professional manner liaising with key contacts across DRC (HQ, RO, CO) and other networks
• Coordinate complex domestic and international travel arrangements, accommodations, and itineraries to optimize the Executive Director travel, minimizing disruptions and ensuring efficient use of time.

Coordination of Regional Office Events / Meetings/ Visits

• Take a lead role in organizing regional meetings and events involving the Executive Director, in liaison with other departments.
• Take full responsibility for scheduling timings and venues, communicating arrangements to participants and coordinating with Administration and Supply Chain team to organize transport, booking facilities, and hiring service providers as required. Develop the agenda and materials as needed in collaboration with the Senior Management Team and ensure action plans are tracked, followed-up on and reported back to the following meetings.
• In consultation with the Executive Director, develop and maintain a regional annual events calendar and disseminate it to RO staff and Country teams.
• Coordinate high level field visits and accompany visitors as necessary to field visits. Prepare visitors itineraries and send required pre-arrival information, arrange logistics and assist visitors in their visit schedule as required.

Senior Management Team Operation Support

• Maintaining and ensuring that key EAGL Regional office information (organogram, sitreps, maps, etc.) is accurate, in a format to share with external partners, board members and also accessible on SharePoint for DRC EAGL staff.
• Support SMT meetings through agenda setting, detailed note taking, pro-actively ensuring that requisite actions are taken, ensuring that key decisions and action points are captured, following up with relevant focal points when necessary. Ensure that meetings notes are circulated after and ahead of meetings.
• Provide specialized project management support to specific and/or defined programmes to ensure that the various activities are performed within the established by Senior management Team.
• Maintain an efficient filing system for the Senior Management Team and Senior Leadership Team, ensuring that relevant documents, including action points, are easily available and centralized in one location.
• Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.
• Organizes Senior Management Team meetings and conference calls/videoconferences, including the preparation and distribution of documents and providing the necessary technical devices.
• Develop, maintain and track internal systems and procedures to ensure strong work flow and sustainable processes within Senior Management Team, including ensuring central access to key documents .
• Provide relevant information and data to assist the SMT in making informed decisions. This may involve data collection, research, and report preparation.
• Contribute to coordinating specific projects or strategic initiatives, ensuring that deadlines are met, and objectives are achieved.
• Help with special administrative projects as assigned. This may include data gathering, fact-checking, record keeping, convening partners or staff members, to assist in decision-making.
• Securely manage confidential information and sensitive data of the organization, ensuring protection against unauthorized access.
• Manage special administrative project close-outs including after-action reviews and lessons learned.

Other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Director.

About you

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.

Experience and technical competencies:

• At least five (5) years of experience in administration, programme or project administration, or equivalent role in an INGO in areas of humanitarian/development sector supporting top-level executives in a multicultural and complex organization.
• Experience working with senior executives and ability to synthesize complex topics into actionable and decision ready analysis fit for that audience and then cascade decisions for action.
• Experience developing workplans including breaking down complex projects into tasks, processes, and timelines.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines.
• Proven experience in project coordination, administration, or related roles, preferably in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively within a team environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively convey information and collaborate with diverse teams.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a focus on quality and accuracy in project deliverables and documentation.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive and solutions-oriented approach
• Demonstrated ability to manage processes and maintain accurate records.
• Ability to work independently and to maintain flexibility in working hours.
• Energetic and flexible with high sense of responsibility and excellent organizational, planning and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate tasks to meet deadlines.
• Good interpersonal skills; ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively orally.
• High level of integrity and able to maintain strictest of confidentiality
• High competence in handling situations with tact and diplomacy
• Excellent written and spoken English is essential.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

Conditions

Contract: Until end of December 2024 subject to funding and performance. Salary and other conditions are offered by DRC’s Terms of Employment for National Staff; Employment band -non-management G2.

Availability: 15th April 2024

Duty station: This position is based in Nairobi Regional Office

Reporting Line: Regional Advocacy and Communications Manager

Providing equal opportunities, we are committed to creating an inclusive and positive work environment based on mutual respect for all employees. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, age, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other factor. At DRC we celebrate diversity and appreciate our employees for the people they are and their unique skills, backgrounds, and perspectives. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Promoting high standards: DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP, and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct about DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. DRC conducts thorough background checks as part of the recruitment process.